Full job descriptionI am working with a Local Authority to recruit an Interim Programme Director to take the lead on the transformation of their Adult Community Learning Directorate -The role is offered on 3 days a week.
The directorate is entering a critical phase of transformation to strengthen its position as a key driver of economic growth, social mobility, and community resilience . In response to significant shifts in funding policy, labour market demands, and the future devolution landscape,the directorate is redesigning its operating model to become more agile, financially sustainable, and impact-focused.
The programme brings together this strategic change, aligning policy, curriculum, workforce, technology, and customer experience to ensure the directorate delivers a modern, skills-led offer that meets the needs of residents, employers, and disadvantaged communities. This transformation will enable the directorate to operate with greater efficiency, extend its reach, and enhance outcomes in employment, health, wellbeing, and lifelong learning.


Roles & Responsibilities
*Lead the delivery of the Adult’s Community Learning transformation agenda, overseeing the definition, implementation, governance, and performance assurance of a portfolio of transformation projects and programmes.
*Ensure the portfolio is balanced in terms of risk, compliance, achievability, and financial sustainability, with projects delivered on time, within budget, and achieving expected outcomes and savings.
*Provide strategic thought leadership in the development and implementation of Adult Community Learning transformation initiatives, improving outcomes for residents while maintaining financial sustainability.
*Maintain alignment with strategic intent, organisational ambitions, and wider priorities, including Devolution and Local Government Reform.
*Direct and support the team in delivering complex programmes of work, from scoping and stakeholder engagement to investment and embedding, while coaching and challenging to keep delivery on track.
*Foster a culture of innovation and rapid prototyping, encouraging swift delivery, learning from quick failures, and embedding continuous improvement.
*Anticipate and mitigate risks, challenges, and blockers by implementing preventative actions and contingency plans.
*Create and communicate a compelling narrative for transformation initiatives and ACL’s future roadmap, tailored for internal and external audiences including senior leaders, members, scrutiny panels, and political stakeholders.
*Translate complex delivery issues into clear, concise updates for diverse audiences, ensuring transparency and accountability.
*Coach, develop, and challenge service leadership to strengthen delivery capability, motivating and energising teams to achieve pace, innovation, and consistent follow-through.
*Build strong cross-organisational relationships with HR, Finance, Digital, PMO, and service leads to ensure collaborative success.
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Candidate experience required:
*Expert-level understanding of Adult Learning and Skills development, including current funding regulations (formerly ESFA).
*Significant experience of leading complex transformation in adult/further education or a comparable public-sector environment.
*Proven ability to navigate and apply complex programme delivery frameworks, ensuring compliance and effective outcomes.
*Deep understanding of Adult Community Learning, funding regulations (formerly ESFA), MIS/data and digital systems.
*Proven track record of delivering measurable savings and service improvements at pace.
*Strong political awareness and experience of working with elected members and senior officers.
*Excellent communication, facilitation and coaching skills.
*Strong knowledge of data management, digital systems, and transformation methodologies, with the capacity to drive innovation and efficiency across diverse projects.